UFC Girls’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña has despatched a stern warning to longtime rival Amanda Nunes as she continues to pursue a trilogy.
Peña returned to the 135-pound throne earlier this month within the co-main occasion of the UFC 307 pay-per-view. In Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah, “The Venezuelan Vixen” fell on the best facet of a controversial cut up resolution to make Raquel Pennington’s reign a brief one.
With two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison transferring to 2-0 within the UFC on the identical night time, many had been fast to model her attainable conflict with Peña as the following title struggle within the bantamweight division.
The champ, nevertheless, had different plans. She used her time on the mic post-fight to name out former opponent Amanda Nunes, who retired after avenging her loss to Peña and subsequently defeating Irena Aldana to defend the 135-pound title.
However throughout an look on The Ariel Helwani Present on Uncrowned, Peña instructed that Nunes is awaiting the results of her anticipated protection in opposition to Harrison, claiming the Brazilian’s comeback teases will dissipate when she blemishes the ex-PFL champ’s UFC document.
Regardless of being closely overwhelmed and bloodied herself en path to a lopsided resolution defeat to Nunes in mid-2022, Peña insisted that the injury she’d inflict on Nunes in a trilogy struggle wouldn’t be price a profitable comeback test from the UFC.
“(Nunes) thinks I’m going to lose to Kayla, and once I beat Kayla, she’s going to say, ‘I keep retired.’ But when Kayla wins, then she’s going to come back out of retirement and appear to be some hero,” Peña stated. “The truth is — and I do know this for a reality — she feels that she doesn’t have something to show in opposition to me, and he or she feels that she hates Kayla greater than she desires to show one thing and struggle me for a trilogy.
“She walked out of (the rematch) with frickin’ elephantitis on half her face, crutches, and a wheelchair. She is aware of it’s not going to be some stroll within the park, simple night time within the workplace,” Peña continued. “No sum of money they pay her goes to be definitely worth the quantity of injury that she’s going to need to maintain on this struggle as a result of I’m not going away, and he or she is aware of that.”
“The Lioness” and “The Venezuelan Vixen” had been initially slated to share the cage for a 3rd time in Canada final yr, however a rib harm pressured the latter out.
Peña was left bemused when her rival subsequently hung up the gloves and has lengthy tried to attract Nunes again to competitors.
The Brazilian seems nearer to a return than ever, however whether or not that need derives from a hope to finish unfinished enterprise with the champ or do battle with an ex-teammate in Harrison stays to be seen.
Learn Extra: Julianna Peña Has A Praise For ‘Refreshing’ Kayla Harrison After Press Convention Change
Proceed Studying Julianna Peña Tells Amanda Nunes: ‘No Quantity Of Cash’ Price The Injury I’ll Give You at MMA Information.